Pixel 4: New Google phone launches with face unlock and astrophotography
Pictures of the stars may not be enough to sell the expensive Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, with cheaper options available from Apple.
Wednesday 16 October 2019 17:28, UK
Google has released its new Pixel 4 smartphone, after months of leaks that seemed to have destroyed any semblance of secrecy surrounding the handset.
It followed the budget-friendly release of the Pixel 3a - which at £399 is aimed at consumers turned off by more expensive devices.
And it turns out the phones did come with some surprising features, including a glamorous astrophotography capability for people who like to take pictures of the night AG百家乐在线官网.
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL have two rear cameras and will retail at $799 (£669) for the 64GB version and $899 (£829) for the larger XL.
Many onlookers were wondering if Google could possibly have any surprises left to share - with just about every conceivable upgrade to its flagship line of devices having been exposed over the course of the year.
This week's event in New York was short of the media focus of an iPhone launch, and the phone was short of any Apple-style surprises, although it has now joined in with the industry standard of face unlock.
Perhaps the biggest shock was the price.
Well above even the iPhone 11 - which while it might match on the bare metal specifications, it doesn't compete with in terms of market share or design.
It also doesn't come with earphones, a decision which will ignite deep ire among smartphone consumers whose commitment to listening to music on their phones drives a lot of sales.
Google's biggest sell to mobile users is its services, all of which are accessible to Android users regardless of the hardware manufacturer - and Android phones made by Samsung and Huawei are much more attractive offers to cosumers than the Pixel range.
It will be a few weeks before the official reviews start to come in, and whether the pricier phone can compete with other smartphone makers' cheaper and more recognisable devices will be a key detail for reviewers to focus on.